The Angel's Share

Min Kwon

America/Beautiful

The Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th St Brooklyn, NY 11232

Twilight Performance - $80
Whiskey Tasting: 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Procession to the Catacombs: 7 - 7:30 PM
Performance: 7:30 - 8:30 PM
Walk back to Gothic Arch: 8:30 - 9:00 PM

Moonlight Performance - $80
Whiskey Tasting: 7:30 - 8:30 PM
Procession to the Catacombs: 8:30 - 9:00 PM
Performance: 9:00 - 10:00 PM
Walk back to Gothic Arch: 10:00 - 10:30 PM

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the long version

Last year, as America reckoned with the pandemic, racial protests, and political upheaval, pianist Min Kwon looked at her two daughters — whose birthdays fall on Presidents’ Day and the Fourth of July — and asked herself what kind of a country they would grow up in. Out of that reflection came America/Beautiful, a project where she commissioned more than seventy of the leading composers in the United States to each write a variation on America the Beautiful.

The result is a sonic picture of Kwon’s adopted country, painted in all of its sprawling complexity, which ultimately seeks to find the beauty at the heart of the American experiment, and to realize its credo of e pluribus unum (out of many, one).

The short version

Although these past few years have left us deeply divided, America/Beautiful seeks to embrace our diversity, and remember that by understanding, appreciating, and celebrating our differences, we become stronger both as individuals and as a country. This is what America sounds like, come and listen.

Music & Artists

The Music

Music

July 8 program:

Leila Adu-Gilmore: United Underdog
David Serkin Ludwig: Qaddiš
Charles Coleman: To be Beautiful 
Jessica Meyer: Halcyon Skies
Patricio Molina: Arabic Homage to America 
Juri Seo: America the Beautiful: “sotto voce” 
Trevor Weston: A Fantasy on America
Qasim Naqvi: America The 
Greg Sandow: America Slow Dance and 12-Tone America 
Victoria Bond: Sea to Shining Sea


July 9 program:

George Lewis: America, the changing same
Gity Razaz: Beauty of America
Richard Danielpour: DESECRATION
Paul Moravec: America, the Work in Progress
Huang Ruo: Meditation on ‘America the Beautiful’
Robert Sirota: Two Variations on America the Beautiful 
Vijay Iyer: Crown Thy Good
Melinda Wagner: Swinging in My Yard: an American reverie
Sebastian Currier: 23 Variations on America
Timo Andres: American Coda

Artists

Min Kwon

Described as a musician of “captivating enthusiasm, superb technique, warm emotional lyricism, and explosive energy” (Piano Magazine), Korean-born American pianist Min Kwon has excelled for over 30 years in a career that has brought her to over 60 countries and to all 50 of the United States. Sought after as an educator as well as a musician, Kwon has taught students from 27 countries, and mentored over 40 doctoral pianists at Rutgers University, where she became the youngest Full Professor of Piano in 2015. In 2021, Kwon celebrates 20 years of teaching piano at Rutgers. 

Min Kwon holds a Bachelor of Music from The Curtis Institute of Music, and received her Master of Music and Doctorate degrees from The Juilliard School, where she was the first-ever alumnus to serve as a member of The Juilliard Council. A Steinway Artist, she can be heard on BMG / RCA Red Seal, and in 5 solo and chamber CD releases on MSR Classics. Kwon is the founder and director of the Center for Musical Excellence (CME), a nonprofit organization dedicated to mentoring and supporting gifted young musicians, and it is through CME that she has commissioned the composers for America/Beautiful.

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The Artists

Important info

THINGS TO NOTE BEFORE PURCHASING TICKETS

  • Attendees must provide a negative Covid test result or proof of completed vaccination. In addition, you must also fill out a health survey in advance of the event.
  • We will start with an hour long reception to enjoy a whiskey tasting and snacks (all free!), and the beauty of the Cemetery, before the program begins.
  • The journey to and from the Catacombs takes approximately 20-30 minutes, which includes walking over hilly and uneven terrain; proper footwear is recommended.  
  • The program inside the Catacombs will run for approximately one hour with no intermission.
  • Health and safety protocols will be strictly enforced, including wearing a mask and keeping a distance of at least 6 feet from those not in your party. Follow directions given by Cemetery staff and ambassadors.
  • Sorry, we cannot refund or exchange tickets for another performance or timeslot.
  • There are no member discounts for this performance.

MANDATORY SAFETY PROTOCOLS

  • Attendees must wear a face covering at all times and maintain at least a 6-foot distance from those not in their group.
  • Follow ALL instructions and guidance from Cemetery staff and ambassadors.
  • Travel Safely: Green-Wood recommends following all safety precautions while traveling to and from the Cemetery, whether by foot, mass transit, or driving. If taking mass transit, please check the MTA’s guidelines.
  • Feeling Sick? Stay home if you are feeling sick or running a temperature. Please use good judgement if you have recently been exposed to someone with COVID-19. For more information about COVID-19, please check the CDC website.
  • If you observe a situation or behavior that does not reflect these protocols, please advise an ambassador or other staff member immediately. With everyone’s cooperation this will be a memorable and safe unique experience.
  • Green-Wood reserves the right to deny entry to any visitor who refuses to comply with the safety guidelines.